


By your side

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Series: Merlin Prompts [47]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Camelot, Canon Era, Confused Merlin (Merlin), Everyone Loves Merlin (Merlin), Fluff, Gen, Protective Arthur, Protective Knights (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25330216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: Arthur knows it, the Knights know it, and Merlin... Well, Merlin's never been good with self-promotion
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Prompts [47]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706692
Comments: 21
Kudos: 575





	By your side

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt for xEverlark4Lifex

Arthur had annoyed his Knights. He could tell, they sat at the Round Table silently seething, his Councillors looking awkward as Merlin stood by his side. He knew what the issue was, that Merlin should be seated at his side, but the thing was, Arthur was more than aware how it would look, to have a servant at the King’s side.

Then again, with the way Gwaine was glaring at him, Arthur was pretty sure that if he didn’t let Merlin take a seat, the King would probably be stabbed. A coup, his own Knights rising up against him. If he ignored the treason, it was actually quite amusing.

The councillor talking continued to bore Arthur half to death, the King looking around and wondering why he had ever let any of these people in his Council. Merlin stood, ever patient by his side, not saying anything as it stretched on for most of the afternoon.

Had he not made it a Round Table, just so that they were all equals? Why did he care what they thought, Merlin was the only one who treated him with the honesty he wanted. Perhaps except from Gwaine, who respected his title even less than Merlin did.

Later, as Arthur was eating dinner, he looked across to where Merlin was lighting the fire. He thought he was doing it sneakily, hiding the fact that the flint was nowhere near the spark that started the roaring fire, but Arthur gave him the small moment.

‘Something on your mind?’ Merlin questioned, rising up and dusting himself down. Arthur chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of vegetables, studying the manservant he’d had for a little over ten years now.

‘I want you at my side, at the next Council meeting.’ His manservant continued, like the ask wasn’t a major change.

‘I always am.’ He pointed out, Arthur sighing.

‘I mean seated at my side, Merlin.’ The sorcerer halted, slowly turned to face him like he’d gone mad.

‘Are you ill?’ Of course, what a logical response to Arthur trying to promote the most loyal man in all of Albion. Honestly, it was a wonder that Merlin managed to do anything with all the running around and saving Camelot.

Sometimes, getting Gwaine drunk was a very good thing, especially when he spilled all the truths about what the two of them got up to when they weren’t in the Tavern. Some things, Arthur could manage without. But most of it was useful, Arthur never protested when Gwaine spilled his heart.

‘No. I just think it would be easier, and then I could ask your opinion while at the table, rather than waiting till now.’

**

He avoided Gwaine’s fist, caught the punch easily and was surprised to find that none of the other Knights tried to stop him. Dammit, they hadn't even given him the chance to explain that he had asked Merlin to sit at his side.

‘Enough!’ He snapped, the Knight falling still.

‘Merlin’s one of us, Sire.’ Leon stated firmly, the others nodding.

‘If you’d give me…’ Arthur began, only to be cut off.

‘He deserves to be at the table.’ Elyan agreed.

‘More than all of us.’ Percival, usually quiet, piped up.

‘Anything to add?’ Arthur snarked, aiming the words at Lancelot, who merely shrugged.

‘If you’re done interrupting, you’ll be glad to know I asked Merlin to join us at the table.’ He watched the disbelief, then the joy that spread, the group relaxing.

Arthur was still caught up on the fact that his most loyal Knights were more fond of the idiotic manservant that he kept at his side.

**

Merlin eyed up the chair, then looked to Arthur, who just waited for him to sit down. Nobody spoke until the Sorcerer had settled, before the Council began like it wasn’t strange that a servant was seated to Arthur’s side.

Eventually, when he brought the legalisation of Magic to this table, it would be Merlin’s opinion that mattered the most.

He didn’t miss the pride that radiated off the Knights, the reassuring smiles that came from all of them, aimed entirely at the manservant. Merlin’s ability to inspire loyalty was the only thing that trumped his clumsiness.


End file.
